Playing God and Other Short Stories

Playing God and Other Short Stories is the seventh studio album by Israeli death metal band Salem, released on April 3, 2010.

Playing God and Other Short Stories
Studio album by
ReleasedApril 3, 2010
Recorded2009 at Harold Studios, Israel
GenreDeath metal, groove metal, oriental metal
Length47:40
LabelPulverised
ProducerZe'ev Tananboim, Nir Nakav
Salem chronology
Necessary Evil
(2007)
Playing God and Other Short Stories
(2010)

The album features At the Gates vocalist Tomas Lindberg singing lead vocals on "The Mark of the Beast Part 2" and co-lead vocals on "The Mark of the Beast Part 1".

The album features an unusual death metal cover to Bob Marley's classic song "Exodus".

Track listing edit

No.TitleLength
1."Drums of the Dead Part 1"4:23
2."Drums of the Dead Part 2"4:46
3."The Privileged Dead"3:27
4."Exodus" (Bob Marley cover)4:23
5."Downfall of Paris Part 1"2:03
6."Downfall of Paris Part 2"5:26
7."The Mark of the Beast Part 1" (feat. Tomas Lindberg)4:13
8."Beast Lullaby"0:46
9."The Mark of the Beast Part 2" (feat. Tomas Lindberg)5:44
10."The Mark of the Beast Part 3"3:58
11."I Hate Pigs!"1:10
12."Playing God"7:21
13."Et She'arei Ratzon" (Israeli bonus track) 
  • Note: The Israeli edition also contains a bonus track, an adaptation to a 12th-century Jewish hymn named "Et Sha'arei Ratzon" ("Time of the Gates of Grace") by rabbi Yehuda Ben Shmuel Abbas, which tells the story of the binding of Isaac.

Personnel edit

  • Ze'ev Tananboim - lead vocals
  • Lior Mizrachi - guitar
  • Nir Gutraiman - guitar
  • Michael Goldstein - bass
  • Nir Nakav - drums, percussion
Additional personnel
  • Tomas Lindberg - vocals on tracks 7 & 9
  • Kristin E. Wallace - female vocals on tracks 2 & 9
Production
  • Produced by Nir A, Ze'ev Tananboim & Nir Nakav
  • Mixed by Nir A, Ze'ev Tananboim & Nir Nakav
  • Mastered by UE Nastasi at Sterling Sound, New York City
  • Artwork & Design by Nir G

Release history edit

Country Release date
Israel April 3, 2010
Europe April 26, 2010
United States May 25, 2010